Can opener



Dec. 9, 1941. 1-. w. COSTELLO CAN OPENER Filed Dec. 14, '1939 3mm W: flasieila T/mma Patented Dec. 9, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CAN OPENER Thomas W. Costello, Seattle, Wash.

Application December 14, 1939, Serial No. 309,254

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved construction of can opener for use in cutting out the tops of metal cans adjacent the rim.

More particularly, it is an aim of this invention to provide a novel construction of can opener adapted to be formed from a single piece of material and operated by a swinging downward pressure for cutting the can top.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a can opener of simple construction capable of being economically manufactured and sold, which will be durable in construction and which may be easily and safely operated for cutting out a can top.

Still another aim of the invention is to provide a can opener having a cutting blade including converging cutting edges terminating in a point at their adjacent ends and adapted to simultaneously cut a can top, in opposite directions, on the initial cutting stroke of the tool. 7

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, which illustrates a preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a tool constructed in accordance with the invention,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the same,

Figure 3 is a bottom plan View of the same,

Figure 4 is an end view in elevation looking toward the tool head,

Figure 5 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along the plane of the line 55 of Figure 2,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the tool shown applied to a can and in a position ready to begin the cutting stroke, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary perspective view of the tool head, applied to a portion of the rim of a can and showing the tool disposed adjacent the completion of the cutting stroke.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the different views, Hi designates the tool in its entirety which is preferably formed from a single strip of metal having an enlarged end, designated generally comprising the tool head and an elongated restricted end i2 forming a handle. The handle I2 is preferably provided with an integrally formed laterally projecting flange i3 which tapers toward the terminal of the handle to provide a better gripping surface for the operator, and as best seen in Figure 3, the free edge of the flange I3 is rolled or bent downwardly at I4.

The tool head H is bent back upon itself intermediate of its ends at l5 to form the turned back portion I6 which is disposed on theopposite side of the tool ID to the flange l3, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3. The portion ll of the head H, which is disposed contiguously with the turned back portion I6, is provided at its forward end with a notch l8 which tapers downwardly and inwardly from the lower end of the bend I5, which is disposed substantially intermediate of the top and bottom edges of the portion Beneath the notch Hi, the portion I1 is provided with a laterally disposed extension having a flat upper surface forming the hook l9 and provided with a tapered outer edge, as best seen in Figure 4.

The turned back portion I6 is provided with a depending cutting blade 20 including the cutting edges 2| and 22 which are angularly disposed relatively to each other and which converge to form the tapered point 23. As best seen in Figures 1 and 6, the cutting edge 2| extends downwardly from the lower end of the bend portion l5 and is curved slightly so that its lower end is disposed rearwardly of its upper end. The

cutting edge 22 is curved upwardly so that its ends depend below its intermediate portion. As best seen in Figure 3, the forward end of the cutting edge 22, which terminates in the point 23 and the opposite rear end 24 thereof project outwardly relatively to the intermediate portion of said edge so that the edge is bowed inwardly or toward the portion H, as best seen in Figure 3, for a purpose which will hereinafter be explained. It will therefore be apparent, that the lower end of the cutting edge 2| is likewise flared outwardly so that the pointed end 23 is flared outwardly of the portion |6, relatively to the intermediate portions of the edges 2| and 22.

The turned back portion I6 is also provided with the integrally formed guide member 25 which depends downwardly therefrom and which is disposed rearwardly of the blade 20. Guide 25 is offset inwardly or toward the portion relatively to the blade 20.

From the foregoing it will be seen that the tool l0 can be applied to the rim of a can by disposing the tool substantially parallel to the top thereof with the turned back portion l6 downwardly. In this position, the tool is adjusted to dispose the hook I9 on the outer side of the can rim so that the can rim will be between the hook l9 and the cutting edge 2|. The handle end I2 is then swung upwardly through an arc of substantially to position the tool in the mamier as illustrated in Figure 6, with its cutting edge 2! resting on the top of the can, a portion of which is shown and designated 25. In this position, the hook [9 will be beneath and slightly spaced from the rim 2'! of the can. Handle i2 is then swung downwardly through an are substantially parallel to the plane of the side of the can or through an are substantially at right angles to the swing of the handle in applying the tool to the can, as heretofore described. As the tool l begins to move downwardly it will pivot on the edge 2| rocking toward 7 the point 23 to thereby cause the hook or extension I9 to swing upwardly until its upper fiat edge 7 engages beneath the can rim 2'! to preventfur l2 continues to move downwardly, "the blade* will continue to move downwardly through the lid 26 with the edges 2| and 22 cutting the lid in two directions.- Also, as the tool is swung downwardly in the cutting stroke, the guide 25 will engage the outer side of the rim 21 to properly position the blade 20 on the inner side thereof. The cutting stroke is completed when the inner, secured end of the guide '25 comes into contact with the rim 2'! to prevent further downward movement. Handle [2 is then swung upwardly to return the tool substantially to the position, as seen in Figure 6, in which position it can be slid along the rim of the can with the point 23 extending just into the cut made in the lid 26 until the point 23 reaches the end of the cut made-by the edge 22 after which the cutting stroke is repeated and so on-until the lid has been entirely severed or severed sufficiently to be opened, as desired. After the first cutting stroke, subsequent cuts are made only by'the edge 22, as will be obvious.

' As most cans are circular in cross section, the cutting edge 22 is curved, as heretofore described, and the lower end of the cutting edge 2| is flared outwardly so that these edges will produce an arcuately shaped slice or cut in the lid 26 at each stroke of the tool In corresponding substan tially to the curve of the rim 2'! thereby resulting in the out being substantially the same disan enlarged head extending from the forward end thereof, said head being turned back upon itself intermediate of its ends, said turned back portion being provided with a depending cutting blade having converging cutting edges terminating in a point, the other portion of said head being provided with a hook disposed forwardly of said cutting edges for engaging beneath the rim of a can and forming therewith a pivot for swinging the tool for moving the cutting edges into engagement with the can top, one of said cutting edges extending upwardly from the point and being bowed outwardly and forwardly, and said other cutting edge extending rearwardly from the point and being bowed inwardly and upwardly, adjacent the point.

. 2. A can opener comprising a handle portion having an integral tool head at one end thereof, said tool head being turned back upon itself intermediate of its ends, a cutting blade formed integral with and depending from the turned back portion and comprising two cutting edges, angularly disposed relatively to each other, and converging to form a depending tapered point, said blade extending substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the handle portion, and means formed on said tool head for engaging beneath the rim of a can, said cutting edges being disposed thereby for engaging and cutting the can top, one of said cutting edges being disposed substantially transversely of the tool head and handle portion and the other cutting edge being disposed substantially longitudinally thereof, and said last mentioned cutting edge being curved inwardly and upwardly relatively to the blade, adjacent its point.

3. A can opener comprising a handle, a head formed integral with and extending from the forward end thereof, said head being turned back upon itself intermediate of its ends, said turned back portion being provided with an integral depending blade having cutting edges converging to form a tapered point, one of said cutting edges extending upwardly from the point and being bowed outwardly and forwardly, said other cutting edge extending rearwardly from'the point and having an upwardly and rearwardly curved portion, adjacent tothe point, and the other portion of the head having a lower portion extending to below the cutting blade and including a fulcrum member disposed adjacent to and forward of the lower part of the first mentioned cutting edge.

THOMAS W. COSTELLO. 

